general engineering curriculum, specialty

[XINLAI-UE]

Hi,

What does " general engineering curriculum" and "specialty" mean in this context? I look them up in the dictionary, but it seems I still do not work them out.

Thanks for your help.



A bachelor's degree in engineering is generally accepted educational requirement for most entry-level engineering jobs. In a typical four-year engineering program, the first two years are spent studying basic sciences-mathematics, physics, and introductory engineering and the humanities, social sciences and English. The last two years are devoted to specialized engineering courses. Some programs offer a general engineering curriculum, letting students choose a specialty in graduate school or to acquire one later on the job.

[Ouisch]

I can only respond from the American perspective...when a student decides to major in engineering while attending a university, there will be a general curriculum that teaches all the necessary math and related courses necessary in any type of engineering career.

After a student passes those courses, he may choose to specialize his focus. Perhaps he wants to be a mechanical engineer, which would mean he needs to study motors and engines and similar related disciplines. If he wants to be an electrical engineer, he'll need to take graduate courses in electrical circuitry and learn how to "wire" components. Civil engineers must take additional courses to learn about traffic patterns and the design of roads and bridges.

[XINLAI-UE]

Originally Posted by Ouisch

I can only respond from the American perspective... (I am learning American English) when a student decides to major in engineering while attending a university, there will be a general curriculum that teaches all the necessary math and related courses necessary in any type of engineering career.

After a student passes those courses, he may choose to specialize his focus. Perhaps he wants to be a mechanical engineer, which would mean he needs to study motors and engines and similar related disciplines. If he wants to be an electrical engineer, he'll need to take graduate courses in electrical circuitry and learn how to "wire" components. Civil engineers must take additional courses to learn about traffic patterns and the design of roads and bridges.

Hi, Ouisch,

Thanks for your reply.

Okay, I get it. So "general" in this case means - not specialized, lacking specialized knowledge, right?

Then how about "specialty", I look it up in the dictionary, but I have no idea which one is right. Does it mean - sth. that sb. specialized in, or a distinctive feature ?

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by XINLAI-UE

Hi, Ouisch,

Thanks for your reply.

Okay, I get it. So "general" in this case means - not specialized, lacking specialized knowledge, right?

Then how about "specialty", I look it up in the dictionary, but I have no idea which one is right. Does it mean - sth. that sb. specialized in, or a distinctive feature ?

Specialty is the opposite of generality.
So, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Bio-mechanical... are all specialty areas within engineering. If you study them, you are specializing in that area, after which you become a specialist in that area.

[XINLAI-UE]

Originally Posted by Raymott

Specialty is the opposite of generality.
So, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Bio-mechanical... are all specialty areas within engineering. If you study them, you are specializing in that area, after which you become a specialist in that area.

Yes, I get it.

Thank you, Raymott !